Johnny Cope

Hey Johnny Cope are ye walking yet or are your drums a beating yet
If ye were walking I would wait tae gang tae the coals in the morning

Cope sent a challenge from Dunbar saying Charlie meet me an’ ye daur
An’ I’ll learn ye the art o’ war if ye’ll meet me in the morning

When Charlie looked his letter upon he drew his sword the scabbard from
Come follow me my merry men and we’ll meet Johnny Cope in the morning

Now Johnny be as good as your word come let us try baithe fire and sword
And dinna flee like a frichted bird that’s chased frae its nest i’ the morning

When Johnny Cope he heard o’ this He thocht it wadna ba a miss
Tae hae a horse in readiness Tae flee awa in the morning
Hey Johnny Cope are ye walking yet or are your drums a beating yet
If ye were walking I would wait tae gang tae the coals in the morning

Fye now Johnny get up a’ rin The Highland bagpipes mak’ a din
Its better tae Sleep in a hale skin for it will be a bloody morning

When Johnny Cope tae Dunbar cam’ the spiered at him Where’s a your men
The de’il confound me gin I ken for I left them a’ in the morning

In faith qou Johnny I got sic flags Wi’ their claymores an’ philabegs
Gin I face them again de’il brak my legs so I wish you a’ good morning
Hey Johnny Cope are ye walking yet or are your drums a beating yet
If ye were walking I would wait tae gang tae the coals in the morning

Traditional

“Hey, Johnnie Cope, are Ye Waking Yet?”, also “Hey Johnnie Cope, are you awake yet?”, “Heigh! Johnnie Cowp, are ye wauken yet?”, or simply “Johnny Cope” is a Scottish folk song.

The song, written by Adam Skirving to a well known tune, gives an account from the Jacobite viewpoint of the Battle of Prestonpans. In the battle, which took place during the Second Jacobite uprising, Sir John Cope was the commander of the government troops, and was defeated in a dawn attack by the Jacobites.

“Johnny Cope” was “written after the battle of Prestonpans in 1745, when the Scots were jubilant after their defeat of the English forces”. – Andy Irvine